ICoMST: The science behind responsible meat production

Meat continues to be an important protein source in diets worldwide. It is therefore not surprising that meat-related research is high on the agenda at numerous universities. During the annual International Congress of Meat Science and Technology (ICoMST), hundreds of scientists from 40 countries discussed the progress and results of these studies.

The theme of this year’s six-day congress, hosted in Brazil, was ‘Responsible meat production.’ The focus was on ways to enhance the production and processing of meat and meat products, while minimizing the environmental impact, ensuring animal welfare, and maintaining the quality and safety of these products. Out of the 36 lectures, Theo Verkleij (Wageningen Food & Biobased Research) and Sara Erasmus (Food Quality and Design, Wageningen University & Research) highlight two. The keynote lectures are published in Meat Science 218 (2024) journal (1).

Drivers behind meat consumption

Maria Font-i-Furnols from the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA) gave a comprehensive presentation titled ‘An overview of drivers and emotions of meat consumption’ (2). She discussed the main drivers of meat consumption. The sensory and hedonic qualities of meat were addressed, and she also spoke about physiological needs. Historical and social influences were mentioned, as well as ethical motives surrounding meat consumption. While meat has long been a part of the human diet, culture, and countless traditions, consumer preferences are changing. It is worth noting that in Spain, there is still little focus on the consumption of vegetarian products.

According to Font-i-Furnols, changes in meat consumption are driven by both positive and negative experiences, shifting (moral) emotions regarding meat, information received, expectations, purchasing intentions, and more. For some consumers, reduced affordability and availability of meat causes stress and even nutritional deficiencies. For others, high meat consumption leads to emotions like boredom. Yes, boredom! According to Font-i-Furnols, this boredom can be overcome by switching to alternative proteins or by including meat from exotic or unconventional species in the diet, as long as this does not provoke rejection or aversion. To promote rational meat consumption, she recommended that the meat industry use consumers’ motivations for eating or avoiding meat in their marketing strategies; to convey messages that create more positive emotions.

Dietary guidelines for meat consumption

Prof. Stefaan DeSmet from Ghent University gave a lecture titled ‘Meat products in human nutrition and health – about hazards and risks’ (3). He presented an overview of the hazards and risks of meat consumption and how they are assessed in the context of dietary guidelines. He explained that dietary guidelines and food policies often rely heavily on observational epidemiology and risk avoidance. As a result, in terms of human health, red meat and processed meat have become targets of this risk avoidance (‘don’t eat red meat’) due to epidemiological associations with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including colon cancer, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

The risks are greater for consuming processed meat than for unprocessed red meat. Consumption of white meat is not associated with NCDs and even appears to be protective. Globally, nutrition and health organizations are now advising people to reduce their consumption of unprocessed red meat and to avoid processed meat altogether. A small number of organizations have set quantitative limits. It is notable that in most regions of the world, the average consumption of unprocessed red meat is below the safe upper limit set by the WHO (350–500 grams of cooked red meat per week).

The heterogeneity in the type and intensity of meat processing justifies a more detailed and differentiated view, especially with the rise of hybrid meat products and meat analogs. He posed the key question: “Which meat products are the most nutritious and safest, at what level of consumption, and in which dietary context?”

Meat and meat products are nutrient-rich foods with a deep socio-cultural and culinary tradition. They provide high-quality proteins and are a good source of various minerals and trace elements (such as heme iron, zinc, and selenium), vitamins (such as several B vitamins), long-chain fatty acids (like eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid), and bioactive compounds (like choline, carnitine, carnosine, and anserine). Because of its high protein digestibility, micronutrient density, and bioavailability, even moderate meat consumption contributes to the ‘robustness’ of the diet. It reduces the risk of micronutrient deficiencies and the need for supplementation, particularly during critical life stages. Since some compounds are unique to meat and animal-derived foods in general, their consumption also supports food diversity. This argues in favor of including some proportion of meat or meat products in the human diet, and against the idea of diets being exclusively plant-based.

DeSmet also showed several potentially harmful compounds that can be present in meat, formed during processing, preparation, or digestion. However, he emphasized that the impact of meat consumption on human health is still far from being fully understood. It is difficult to draw conclusions because of the simultaneous presence of multiple hazards and their interactions with other dietary components and host factors. It is currently impossible to conduct a fact-based cost-benefit analysis of red and processed meat consumption for dietary guidelines. We are currently unable to assign appropriate causal relationships, DeSmet concluded. As there is a great diversity in the composition and degree of processing of processed meat, it is important to investigate and better understand the impact of these degrees on human health; this will allow for a more nuanced approach to dietary guidelines and to avoid ‘throwing the baby out with the bathwater’ for this food category.

ICoMST 2029 coming to the Netherlands!

In addition to attending all the lectures, researchers had ample opportunity to meet and exchange knowledge. The poster presentations (380 in total!) offered plenty of chances to engage with the presenters. These interactions led to many fruitful and sometimes intense discussions. As the Dutch delegation, we proposed hosting the meat congress in the Netherlands again in 2029. This offer was accepted. While it will still be a while before the event takes place, the first discussions about the location and content of the fourth Dutch edition are already underway!

References

(1) www.sciencedirect.com/special-issue/10D63SHPLS4
(2) www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0309174024001967?via%3Dihub
(3) www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0309174024002055